Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh focused on winning a national title after brief flirtation with NFL return

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Jim Harbaugh spoke to reporters on Tuesday for the first time since his flirtation with the Minnesota Vikings in January and February. Harbaugh ultimately signed a new contract with the Wolverines, but the process brought about questions of whether or not this would be a recurring theme and an annual offseason topic.

Harbaugh confirmed to reporters that he told Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel that he does not want these rumors to persist beyond this year, and expressed to Manuel that he has ended his interest in the NFL for the duration of his new contract.

Harbaugh had an interest in going back to the NFL to win the Super Bowl, which was reported as a driving factor to pursuing a new opportunity. He said on Tuesday, however, that he is focused on the possibilities at Michigan.

«We can win college football's greatest trophy, that we could win a national championship; that's plenty good,» Harbaugh said. «That would be great to win the Super Bowl, but completely focused on winning a national championship.»

He acknowledged his interest in the NFL, but said what he and the team are building in Ann Arbor was exciting and has refueled his energy, saying he could coach forever with this type of team.

«Just ultimately decided this is where I want to be and really a lot of gratitude for that,» Harbaugh said. «Like I said earlier, right now it's scary good. You can try to define what that is, you know the law of averages is going to catch up with you at some point, but that's the place where you want to be.»

The Wolverines just made their first trip to the College Football Playoffs this past season after winning the Big Ten championship, and despite losing offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and defensive